The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-06
pulled off his ragged hat and entered the room,

sofa in the richly-furnished room, was fashion
ably-dressed lady with her arms around Ann
his little Amin an attitude of undisgused emo
ton and endearment, to which the child sub
mitted with evident wonder and reluctance. She
now broke loose from the woman and ran to
JIM exclaiming:
Pap; oh, pap! She called me in, and she says
she knows we 'uns. She SAYS she's my nanny;
but jest know she amt for l amt got nary
nanny, have papa'
The lady rose hurredly. In her manner en-
barrassment and wistful eagerness strongly con-
tended. Her dark, splendid, mature beauty
shone out from the quiet elegance of her attire.
like ruby above its golden setting. Jewels
sparkled on her fingers, and her dress was of
Partisan origin. From beneath hat that was
a trophy of the milliners art, rich tresses of
wavy black hair escaped in that eharminglv dis
ordered profusion which is now the type of the
highest art.
Jim dropped his hat and stood the embodi
ment of awkward stupefaction, with little Ann
clinging to his legs and looking round at the
strange lady, who, quickly recovering herself,
passed behind them and closed the door. Jim
picked up his hat.
Then the lady placed one hand on Jim's rag
ged shoulder, as he rubbed his head hepessly,
and gazed upon his weather beaten features
long and earnestly.
Her voice had the clear, wonderful ring. as of
old, to which was added that perfection of &C
| cent which social polish gives.
Jim Cheek, do you know me?"
With great effort Jim again brought his eyes
| to bear upon this vision of beauty. AS compre-
henson began to dawn upon his slow moving IN
| teect his gaze grew steadier, but there was no
answering tenderness eager acknowledgment
| foreshadowed therein.
Don't you remember me. Jim Cheekr
oval | reckon | do now. You air the women
| es runnd off with Dick Bufford.'
She covered for an instant, and removed her
| hand from his shoulder. He mechanically
| brushed the spot, while his face gradually hard
ened. The splen6or of her appearance was that
of too different world from his own to enthrall
| him DOW.
| HE is dead" she murmured, then, clasping
| her hands, she exclaimed passionateiy, Oh
| Jim. l want my child. my only chid'
Your childl Wal, I reckon you don't mean
thish yer little gal, fur eff You do, you air a la
| BORN under of small mistake. Shesain't your
child row, whatever she mout hev been onct.
| Little Ann, having possessed herself Of one of
| Jim's hands, looked from one to the other i'll
childish bewilderment. She was barefooted yet
neatly clad in striped linsey, with long, tumbled
hair falling upon her shoulders The lady's face
flushed. then grew slowly PALE as she realized
that all her beauty and luxury made no impress
sion upon the man she had once deserted.
Jim" she again began, Il don't defend my
self. My life was all wrong even before / met
you, and | deceived and wronged you most of
| all. But didn't know myself: / couldn't help
doing as l did. He-made me do it. HI ruled
ME. But. oh. how have repented, even before
| his death Amidst his wealth-for we went to
| Colorado, and he made money there-1 became
|
| my only child"
II know'd-after what happened-I knowd in
reason We COUNT her keered much for me.
alraway wondered how ye come to keer fur me
| at all, for amt much to keer fur nohow. Blu.
little Ann-she's defernt of course"
| Jim allowed his fingers to close over the child s
small hands fondiy, then he resumed;
''She keers fur me; don't We, honey But I'm
| a-fearin she CANT, under the pecoolyer sarcum-
stances, partklerly keer fur both on us to onct
| like"
Here Jim Strengthened himself and looked
full at his former wife uniinchlngly. Could
she, now standing before him. clad, as it were.
in purple and fine linen, with delicate perfume
exhaling from her presence over his unaccus-
toned senses-could she be-his fathless Oar
thuly? He knew it must be so. yet the realiza-
ton seemed impersonal and vague.
"At first didn', caro- much for you. she said.
II wanted shelter and home so badly. My life
had been hard one. But your love and kind
ness soon made me care for You. If he had not
come back all would have been we'll But he
he-I-" She bIshed and nesltated under the
stringeucy of her self PEELED confession. ''He
had met and deceived me before you knew me.
[ cannot explain but somehow I could not resist
his power. But have repentcd-indeed have
repented.'
She hid her face in her hands, while little Ann
shrank from the vehemence of the strange lady's
| actions and words. Jms eyes wandered from
her dress and iewelry to the big Saratoga trunks
against the wall. and around the luxurious ap-
pointments of the room.
''Does these yer fxins' ne asked, bluntlv
land all your fine dresSin' and ways and Sech
; come of Dick Bufford's money what he left yer
; She appeared not TO hear him. but. as he re
,, peated the question. her hands fell and look
of confusion appeared her face
''Peope obliged to have money in this
world. she replied almost doggedly.
''We'uns yer in the mountains gifts along or
powerful leetle," said he. But air ye a usin
of his money now
Eyes. Jim, l am. He has gone where hell
never need money again.
eff he amt in hell ne ought er be-! interrupted
he emphatically And was you goiu' ter tenlni
me aud Ann with some of the cussed stuff too?
Facing him there, she felt that all the power
and pleasure her wealth had invoked to appeast
J the deep longings Of her heart towards her hus
= band and child were rising curse to still
further separate ner from her desire Had shs
not dreamed fondly OF how this money would re
lieve their wants, expand and minister to thei
crude enjoyment Had she not planned how
in n new land unbaunted by the past--th
same money should gid the path of forgiveness
= and forgetfulness with ease and pleasure. unit
conscience slumbered, love renewed itself, anS
:, | retrlbutlon was forgotten!
Yet here was Jin--poor, simple honest Jim
5 repulsinc the golden bride, which she had fell
u ought TO bridge the chasm OF shame yawning be
tween their honorable poverty and her repug
Eant spendors fhere is nothing SO inaccessible a
/ virtue under certain contingencies. Clothe it il
9 rags, pinch it with penury grind it beneath
: | worldly scorn, vet its hollow eyes and wasted
9 features illumine the vale of humility like dia
9 monds in the mire. cleaning unsullied from on
Il the filth of their surroundings upon the spuriou
glitter, that enves, through all its false exalta
a ton. the purity no tongue can smirch and from
d which it stands forever barred
e She did not reply at once. Jim. totally un
9 awed yet, hitched at his ''galluses," and wen
y through sundry awkward movements for an
S parent cause whatever
9 Who is she, pap!r whispered Ann, who ha
l. interposed Jims body between herself aud tn
object of her curiosity
N.3 r1;r No.
S by the drectness of the inquiry. This ye
IS lady is-she-wal. hit seems like she wa
IS onct-H
8 Child, I your mother-your own onl
L al LIE, y oHe